Hogwarts Teachers, 1998
by sazza-da-vampire
Summary: post DH. Minerva McGonagall needs new teachers, all the applicants are terrible, and there's no Head of House for Slytherin. Oh joy. There's now so many empty teaching places, and not many wizards are left. Slightly AU, Tonks is alive
1. the initial recruit

DISCLAIMER: Not mine, Never will be.

Minerva McGonagall's head hit her desk in frustration. There was only four applicants for the empty staffing positions at Hogwarts for 1998, and she needed a new teacher for Defence Against the Dark Arts, Muggle Studies, Divination, Arithmancy, Transfiguration (seeing as she was now Headmistress) and Herbology – Professor Sprout, her best friend and colleague, had been killed by none other then Bellatrix Lestrange in the battle in May.

She looked over the list of applicants and the notes she had taken during their interviews. And to think; Slughorn wanted to retire for good, on top of everything else.

Ok, Minerva, she thought to herself, DADA, we need someone competent for once, but not someone you want to stay for too long – but then, the curse on the job might have died with its caster, like so many other spells do.

No-one on the list was even half-decent at DADA, let alone capable of teaching. There was one person she was willing to put in the Herbology post, Neville Longbottom, and for all purposes he had the job. She was fully prepared to let Divination be disposed of, but Sybil Trelawney, however disagreeable and unpleasant she was to Minerva, had asked her to continue teaching the subject at school, even if Firenze was the teacher for everyone. Which seemed rather likely to happen.

She took a deep, calming breath, and let it out in a heavy sigh. Arithmancy. Not many people were very good at it, indeed, the only two people to ever receive an O in their OWLs in Arithmancy were Percy Weasley and Hermione Granger; Percy had taken his job at the Ministry back, and Hermione had never taken NEWTs – indeed, she was planning to take them this year, as was Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley had said he would think about it, he just didn't want to be in his sister's classes.

She sighed again. Transfiguration. She might have to take the job herself, in addition to her duties as Headmistress. Of course, she could just appoint two Deputies, then the three would share out the workload and all teach classes. But who to choose?

A tear sparked in her eyes before she angrily wiped it away as she thought about her best friend, and would-be Deputy, Pomona Sprout. She eventually decided on Filius Flitwick, the very capable Charms teacher.

Well, for Muggle Studies, she'd just have to ask Arthur Weasley. That was solved, at least.

Now she groaned. She had to appoint a Head of House for not only Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, but Slytherin as well because Slughorn didn't want the duty. But there weren't any other Slytherin teachers at the school.

She sullenly walked over to her fireplace, where she grabbed a pinch of Floo Powder -before throwing it on the flames and placing her head in amongst the now-green tongues of fire, saying clearly her destination.

"Poppy!?" she shouted to the plump witch standing over a bed beyond the door to the hospital wing, "may I speak to Tonks?" she asked when Poppy entered her little room in the back of the Hospital Wing.

"Yes, she is awake, but she can't get out of bed for at least a week, and don't tell her that her husband is in a worse condition than she is, she'll probably insist on going to St. Mungo's right now."

"I'm coming straight in then, just let me Floo through," she replied before pulling her head out of the fire, standing up and pinching more, saying to the green fire "Hospital Wing, Hogwarts," as she stepped into the dizzying flames.

A minute later Tonks looked at Minerva as if she were insane.

"There are still Death Eaters out there, I am one of the few totally loyal Aurors left alive, and you want me to _teach_?" she said incredulously.

"Yes," Minerva answered simply. "the students were being taught by an animagus, now they can be taught by a metamorphmagus, who better could they want for Transfiguration?"

"Look, I might teach it when there are no Death Eaters left, but right now my place is on the field, destroying those remaining loyal to Voldemort, and getting rid of Aurors like Dawlish."

Minerva knew when she was going to lose an argument, so she didn't press the matter, but she still asked Tonks her opinion of a second Deputy.

"Flitwick is a good choice, and I would say choose someone you trust, and who has been teaching for years."

"Thanks Tonks. Would you recommend anyone specific for Defence Against the Dark Arts, Divination, Arithmancy or Transfiguration?"

"DADA . . . What about Remus? He taught in '93/4, and if he was teaching, I would bring Teddy and teach Transfiguration, but I still think my place is destroying the remaining Death Eaters."

"I'll ask him, alright?"

Tonks nodded, then continued. "Divination, give the Centaur, what's his name? Fires?"

"Firenze."

"Yes, him, give him all the classes, and for Arithmancy I'd say Percy Weasley, but he's on the Ministry's side."

"Actually, he came to his senses. Just before Fred died."

"Fred died!" she echoed, shocked, before tears sprang into her eyes. "What about George? Is he OK?" she asked, and the caring she had for the Weasley twins was quite obvious in her expression.

"Yes, he'll be alright, he wasn't there when it happened. But Percy's awoken to what the Ministry's been doing, and he resigned when he ended up duelling the Minister – who was imperiused, it seems. Kingsley's been appointed Minister for Magic temporarily, but he wants to be a simple Auror. And Dawlish was killed in his duel with Kinsley, he seemed so shocked that he was duelling his colleague that he didn't avoid the Stunner, and was killed by one of the many curses shot by his allies."

She smirked before continuing. "Half the Death Eaters are dead, and half of those were killed by their own side, the rest were killed indirectly. What's more, not a single Order member or, indeed, any survivors on our side has ripped their own soul by murdering. Whereas not a single Death Eater has an intact soul."

"What happened to Bellatrix? She refused to kill me, she wanted to torture me instead, and when she dropped me I had enough energy to see her go inside the castle before I fainted. Why wouldn't she just kill me?"

"We won't ever know, seeing as how Molly finished her off."

Tonks gaped. "Molly as in Molly Weasley? How?"

"Bellatrix was attacking three people, one of them was Ginny. A mother's love became a mother's fury for Bellatrix, and she was on the wrong end."

"Wow, I have a new idol," Tonks whispered. "I imagine her fury was all the more, after what the demon has done to her family already," she continued in an utterly depressed tone.

"Yes," Minerva agreed sadly.

"So are you going to ask Flitwick about Deputyship?"

"Is that even a word?" Minerva asked, recognising the attempt to bring her mind somewhere else.

"Is now. Are you?"

"Yes, I will. No-one else springs to mind, except Pomona, but she was killed too."

"I'm so sorry! I didn't know!"

"Don't worry, I have to learn to live without her. She was my best friend, you know."

Tonks nodded, then spoke again. "So you will be asking Percy about Arithmancy, and Remus about DADA, and if he says no, then who?"

"Possibly Molly, seeing as I'm asking Arthur to teach Muggle Studies. Although she will probably prefer to teach something that doesn't remind her of Fred."

"Like Potions? She was always brilliant at Potions, although only the twins and Percy seem to have inherited that."

And get rid of Slughorn, Minerva though devilishly. "But then we'd have no Head for Slytherin. Severus was killed, apparently by the snake, Nagini."

"Appoint a seventh year, then."

"I like that. I'll talk to Percy, Arthur, Molly – we'll have to call two of them something other than Professor Weasley – Filius, and Remus."

"If he says no, which he has every right to, whom then?"

"I'll think about that if it happens. I can be rather argumentative, you know. And he was the only decent teacher in the last eleven years."

"Point taken."

"Good luck healing, and do everything Poppy tells you to."

"You're never going to let me forget that, are you? It was first year!"

"And yet the thought to escape has already crossed your mind, hasn't it?"

"That's not the point!"

"It's precisely the point. Goodbye, good luck, and listen to your healer, or she'll cart you off to St Mungo's again."

"That was two years ago, and all I did was fall asleep when she told me to wait for her to get back."

"It was hazardous to your health; you nearly didn't wake up, which is why you were carted off to St. Mungo's, Tonks. You didn't see how worried we all were about you – especially because Hermione, Ron and Luna were all fine before you showed any signs of improving. Mad Eye and Remus were worried sick, and Kingsley had so much trouble making excuses for you at the Ministry, especially because he was so worried that you wouldn't survive."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know, Minerva. And what's this about Hermione, Ron and Luna?"

"Don't worry, there was no lasting damage. Didn't you wonder why they weren't in the Death Room?"

"If you'll recall, I was only aware that Harry and Neville were there, my dear aunt took care of me before anything came to light."

"Did you know that Albus and Voldemort faced off?"

The shock on Tonks' face was more than answer enough. "Well, they did."

Silence reigned for a moment, so Minerva continued, bringing Tonks out of her shock.

"Well, I'm off to coerce three Weasleys into teaching as well as a Lupin and a Longbottom."

"Neville?"

"Herbology."

"Oh. Goodbye, then."

"Do whatever Poppy tells you to, darling."

"Now you sound like half yourself, half my mother. Good luck."

"You too." With that Minerva left the Hospital Wing, by way of Floo to The Burrow.

At least the Weasleys would be slightly easier to convince. And she conjured a bouquet of flowers in memory of Fred, to add to those already on the mantelpiece.

HP

Should I write a second chapter? or leave it as a oneshot? Should I avoid HP and stick to LOTR? ... Should I post my (next) crossover idea? Or is my writing atrocious? (I really hope not)

This was edited by myself, and has only been checked through twice, so there may be things I've missed. If so, sorry.


	2. the interviews

_Someone is going to have a heart attack from shock. I actually got down to writing this chapter! Every review since I first posted told me to continue, and so I have. I have no idea where to take the plot from here, and as I am so unreliable with updates I think I will just leave it here for now. This is in celebration of my finishing high school - My last EVER school exam was this morning. I'll be a graduate this time next week. And so, this (very slow in coming) chapter is dedicated to anyone and everyone who has read both chapters when i posted them!_

Molly Weasley answered the door when Minerva knocked.

"Minerva, dear, lovely to see you," Molly actually seemed genuinely glad to see Minerva.

"Molly, how are you? Could I speak to you about Hogwarts, darling?"

Molly agreed, letting Minerva into the house warmly. She place the pretty blue flowers on the mantelpiece, adding them to the garden that bloomed around the smiling photograph of Fred Weasley.

Sitting comfortably by the coffee table with a ginger newt, Minerva broached the topic which had brought her here in the first place. "Molly, darling, I am in a bit of a conundrum with my staff this year. To put it simply, I have barely half the teachers I need to run the school. You have exceptional skill in many areas, and I feel that you could be a valuable asset to the staff at Hogwarts."

"Where is this going, Min? I'm not leaving my family just to earn a few extra galleons."

"You wouldn't be leaving your family, Molly. Bill and Fleur are in Shell cottage, Percy and Arthur I'm asking to teach as well, and Ron and Ginny are going to finish school this year. George is welcome to live at Hogwarts if he wants to, and if he opens a shop in Hogsmead I could easily get him assistants for almost every day.

"All I'm asking is for you to teach Potions for a year."

Molly heaved a sigh. "Ok. On one condition."

"Yes?"

"I refuse to go anywhere near the dungeons."

Minerva was so overjoyed that the Weasley matron had agreed, she actually jumped up and hugged Molly. "Thank you Molly, I swear you won't regret this!"

Then Minerva jumped up and called up the stairs, "Percy! Percy! I have a business proposition for you!"

Molly laughed as her son's excited face popped around the corner of his room, which he'd moved back into after the demise of Voldemort.

Molly discretely left as Minerva started convincing Percy to teach Arithmancy.

It literally took one sentence to convince him. "Percy, you were one of two students who have ever received an O in your arithmancy OWLs. Teach it for me, please?"

A little flattery never hurt anyone.

Ten minutes later, Minerva found herself in the hated Ministry Atrium. She signed herself in, then took one of those terrible grilled lifts down to Arthur's office. The lift was crowded and smelt funny.

Minerva knocked on Arthur's office door, and entered when she was told to come in. "Arthur," she said pleasantly.

"Minerva," he returned. "I hear you've roped my wife and son into teaching for you."

Oh no. That tone was dangerous.

Minerva hurriedly changed her tactics. No more pleasantness – this was time to fight, so she went on the defensive.

"I hardly roped anyone into anything! They both accepted of their own free will, and you would do well to do the same!"

Oops. She hadn't actually offered him the job yet.

"What?" Arthur asked. "Do the same?"

Minerva sat on an abandoned chair slightly dejectedly. "Well, as you obviously don't like my school, you wouldn't want to teach Muggle Studies for me. I'm wasting my time here. Until later, Arthur." Minerva nodded to him, stood up and started to walk out, but let an evil smile cross her face when Arthur spoke.

"Muggle Studies? Of course I'll teach Muggle Studies! Why didn't you say so in the first place!"

Minerva literally bounced with excitement as she turned give him a tight hug. "Thanks, Arthur. Be there on the first! Just so you know, you're telling Kingsley, I'm not facing his wrath again."

With that, Minerva was gone, leaving Arthur to wonder when she'd gotten on the gentle Auror's bad side. He concluded that it must have had something to do with Tonks.

Minerva left the Ministry with a satisfied smirk on her face.

Then she ran into Kingsley.

Literally.

He was not pleased.

"Minerva!" he thundered. "How could you let her get hurt again! I told you last time, if she ends up in hospital one more time I'm going to put you there!"

Minerva shrieked and ran screaming through Muggle London.

True to his word, Kingsley did put Minerva in hospital. Although technically it was a muggle mental hospital and he also got her out of it, claiming her to be his 'deranged great-aunt'.

Two days later, Minerva recieved an owl from Neville. It was a short letter stating his acceptance of the herbology role.

..

Firenze had assumed that he was getting all the Divination classes, so he didn't actually need to be spoken to, but Minerva did so anyway. She felt obliged to get to know all her teachers, regardless of whether she liked their subjects.

Lastly, she to talk to Filius about his becoming Deputy, and to Remus, as Tonks wouldn't teach transfiguration if he didn't teach defence.

Filius was overenthusiastic about being Minerva's Deputy. Minerva left the little wizard to his scribbling, as he (for some obscure reason) wanted to shuffle the timetables around. Something about not putting seventh year Charms last on a Friday…

Or fourth year Defence only at the end of the week…

..

Remus Lupin lived in Grimmauld place with Harry and Teddy this summer, since Tonks was still in hospital and Harry didn't want to intrude on the Weasley's mourning. Harry took Teddy to the park while Minerva talked to Remus.

"Remus, please. You're the only decent teacher we've had in eleven years, the only teacher who the students actually learnt from. You were the teacher whom most students remember when they think of Defence. Please teach them? For me?"

"Minerva, I'm flattered that you would want me to teach, but I have Teddy and Tonks to think about. I can't let Teddy grow up practically without his father."

"Tonks has said that she'd teach Transfiguration if you were to teach, too."

"But Teddy? Whatever would we do with Teddy during the day?"

The argument continued for a considerable length of time, as Minerva couldn't come up with an acceptable place for Teddy to be during teaching hours. .

"Poppy Pomphrey? The staffroom, there's always at least one teacher there…"

What seemed like hours later Minerva finally said something to Remus' liking.

"Ok, fine, I'll do it. See you on the first," Remus finally conceded.

Minerva, for the life of her, couldn't remember what she'd suggested that he'd actually agreed to.


End file.
